Effects of Feedback on Willingness to Seek Help -- Tara Dekkers
The purpose of this study was to find out if type of feedback affected willingness to seek help. It was hypothesized that those given positive feedback would be more willing to ask for help and would ask more questions than those given neutral or negative feedback. Forty-eight participants were taught an origami figure by the experimenter. The participants were given feedback based on their desk position, and then they were given a new figure to make independently. Help seeking behavior was measured by whether or not a question was asked, how many questions were asked, and type of question asked. No significant differences were found. Suggestions for further research are made.

Effects of Authority Figures and Peers on Cheating -- Rachelle Ver Steeg & Seth Shannon
This study examined if authority or peer influence had a greater effect on cheating. Participants were paired with either an authority or peer confederate and given a memory test. While checking their answers, the confederate suggested they cheat. The number of participants who cheated was counted and how tempted they felt was measured. The hypothesis was there would be a higher rate of cheating in the authority condition, but there was actually significantly more cheating in the peer condition. Temptation was not found to be significantly different between conditions. Future research into quantity of cheating and prevention of cheating is suggested. The results have implications for curtailing cheating, as well as how people are influenced in general.

Effects of Music and Time of Day on Personal Space -- Karissa Stel & Jordan Gaiser
This study researched the effects of music and time of day on personal space. Fifty-three students were randomly assigned to either music or no music conditions in the morning or afternoon. Personal space was defined as the distance between the chair the participant chose and the chair that appeared occupied. The results showed no significant effects of music, time of day, or interaction between the two on personal space. The study then looked at the phenomenon of people choosing a chair that had a table or another chair between themselves and the “occupied” chair. Further research should continue to look at individuals’ use of these “buffers” in settings with strangers. Implications of this research can be used when designing waiting rooms.

Experimental Psychology home page

Research Project Assignment Page